“A little bit of both.”
“Don’t you worry,honey. My family can be a lot but in the best way possible. They’re pretty chilled.”
Once we open the front door to the apartment building, a flurry of blonde hair passes me, and I hear my sister shriek, “Vivian, it’s so good to meet you!”
Glancing over my shoulder, I see my sister and Vivian embracing.
“Wow, look at you, you’re stunning. Way too pretty to be anywhere with my brother, for sure,” my sister compliments my date while squeezing her. I knew Linnea would hug her, but to do that before she hugged me, I wasn’t expecting that.
“Linny, where the fuck is my hug?” I ask playfully, looking at my sister who has cut her hair to a shoulder-length since I last saw her.
She sticks her tongue out. “You’re my second priority right now. So, wait for your turn, you Mammoth.”
Her nickname makes Vivian giggle. “Mammoth?”
“You know—big, hairy, and as old as the Ice Age.”
“Oh my, I can’t—” Vivian wheezes. “That’s too funny.”
“It was our younger sister Elise who came up with it in elementary school.”
“I love it,” Vivian sighs happily.
“Do you now get what I meant with them being a bit cuckoo?” I ask Vivian, and she only nods before a wide grin comes across her beautiful face.
We get in the truck, and Linnea starts driving toward my parents’ place in Kulosaari, around a fifteen to twenty-minute ride from where my place is on quiet days like today. Not many people drive around the city center area on Christmas Eve.
“I’m glad I met you first—you’ve helped me relax a little before meeting the rest of your family,” Vivian tells my sister, who smiles our way before focusing back on the road.
“That was sort of my idea…and well, the taxis are busy today driving Santas around,” I tell Vivian.
Her eyes go comically round. “More than one Santa?”
“Yeah, here in Finland, Santa visits many families on Christmas Eve. That’s why there needs to be more than one Santa. My parents call them the elderly elves, meaning the most senior elves working for the big guy himself. As he can’t reach all the households, he sends his most respected workers disguised as himself. I bet we’ll spot at least one, but probably more on our way to my parents.”
“Is that the story they tell all the children?”
“Not sure, but that’s how my parents explained it to my sisters when they were younger. Many things I tell you are based on my family traditions, and not every family celebrates their holidays the same way,” I explain.
“That sounds a lot like how Americans celebrate this time of the year. Many have their own traditions.”
“Sure, there are common traditions, but some change based on your location and what your family likes to do,” Linnea pipes in.
Vivian nods in understanding. “I do like to learn more about howyoucelebrate.”
I smile at her, murmuring, “Well, you’re about to learn a lot more since we’re almost there.”
TOO BAD I’M NOT IN THE MARKET FOR A GIRLFRIEND
JASPER
When we arrive at my parents’ house, Vivian notices the wheelchair ramp, but doesn’t say a word. She only gives me a quizzical glance, but I shake my head in answer. We can’t talk about my dad right now—not when we are only meters away from him. I know I should have mentioned Pappa’s accident before, but it’s one of the things I don’t like to discuss. And I only met Vivian less than forty-eight hours ago. Even though I have shared more with her than usual, it isn’t my place to share something my parents have tried to keep away from the public eye.
I exit the truck first, take a deep breath, and then open the door for my date. She takes my offered hand, and her touch calms my nerves about seeing my pappa, my idol, in that fucking wheelchair. Linnea gets out next and stands waiting for my next move.
Gathering my nerves, I lead us to the big wooden door. Before I have a chance to knock, it opens, and my mom stands there with my younger sister Elise. They look almost identical with their tall athletic bodies, long blonde hair, and blue eyes like mine. Mom hugs me first, whispering in Finnish, “Jasper, my dear son, it was about time you came home.”
“Don’t start, äiti—the last time was less than six months ago,” I tell her, trying to lighten up the mood.
